FDA Announces Outbreak Investigation of Listeria Monocytogenes Found in Dole Packaged Salad

Dole voluntarily ceased production at both its Bessemer City, N..C. facility and Yuma, Ariz., facilities and has voluntarily recalled all products and brands produced with production lot codes beginning with either the letter “N” or “Y” in the upper right-hand corner of the package and Best if Used By dates from Nov. 30, 2021, to Jan. 8, 2022. A full list of recalled products and brands are available on the FDA’s website.

To date, this outbreak has been associated with 16 illnesses, 12 hospitalizations and two deaths spanning the following states: Ia., Id., Md., Mi., Minn., N.C., Nev., Ohio, Or., Pa., Texas, Utah, Wis. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Aug. 16, 2014, to Oct. 17, 2021. (One case occurred in 2014 and the remaining cases occurred between 2018 and 2021).

“Two product samples from two Dole facilities have been found to match the outbreak strain," said Frank Yiannas, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response. "Sampling conducted by the Georgia Department of Agriculture of prepackaged salad mix detected Listeria monocytogenes and, as a result, Dole initiated a recall of prepackaged garden salad mixes from a Dole facility in Bessemer City, N.C., in October 2021. Subsequent whole genome sequencing analysis showed that the Listeria in the positive product sample was a match to an outbreak strain. In addition, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently initiated retail sampling of Dole products in their state and found one product containing lettuce from a Dole facility in Yuma, Ariz., to be positive for the outbreak strain. As a result of these new findings, Dole is voluntarily ceasing production and initiating a new recall of various products and brands produced at both facilities. A full list of recalled products and brands are available on the FDA's website.

“This is the second Listeria outbreak potentially linked to packaged salads that the FDA and CDC are currently investigating. On Dec. 21, we announced a separate outbreak investigation of Listeria found in Fresh Express packaged salad. The FDA will provide additional updates as we learn more about these outbreaks."